Pak Army donates funds to bankrupt Pak Govt. to construct a Dam

Pakistan Army on Monday came forward for the second time and contributed over a billion (Rs1006 million) as donation to the Supreme Court fund for Diamer-Basha and Mohmand dams.

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa presented the cheque in a meeting with Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar. The meeting was held at Supreme Court Building on Monday. With the cheque, COAS Bajwa also presented a letter on behalf of Pakistan Army .

“It gives me (COAS) immense pleasure to share with you (chief justice) that the Supreme Court’s decision regarding construction of Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams has been well received by Pak Army,” the letter stated.

According to General Bajwa, all ranks of Pak Army have contributed to the fund.

Pakistan Army Officers including civilian officers paid out of defence estimate (two days pay) while junior commissioned

“Pakistan Army’s Welfare Organisations have also voluntarily made contributions for this cause,” the letter stated, adding an accumulated amount of over rupees one billion had been collected and was being deposited in the top court’s fund.

It is not the first time that Pakistan Army donated to dams’ fund with such big amount. Since the announcement of fund and after chief justice’s donation, Pakistan Army was the second institution which donated the money.

In July, officers of Pak Army, Navy and Air Force contributed their 2 days’ pay while soldiers one day’s pay to the announced fund for this national cause.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar himself has twice contributed to the fund in millions.

However, the top court’s office is silent as to how many judges of the SC contributed to the dams fund from their salaries.

In his speech on the occasion of new judicial year, the CJP said that one of the biggest feats of the top court was the direction to the government to immediately begin construction of the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams to address the issue of water scarcity and security that Pakistan was facing.

“We were overwhelmed by the nation’s response in the form of generous donations for this national cause and the confidence the nation placed in the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” Justice Saqib said.

Four days ago, Prime Minister Imran Khan in a televised address also made a passionate appeal to overseas Pakistanis to contribute generously to dams’ fund.

He said he was expecting the same response from the overseas Pakistanis as they did in case of Saukhat Khanum Hospital.

It was expected that Pakistanis, both home and abroad, would respond promptly to the appeal but they did not.An estimated $12 billion are required for only reservoir portions of the two dams. However, according to Fund Raising Status Dams, the account titled DIAMER BASHA AND MOHMAND DAM FUND–2018, opened on the orders of top court, could only get around Rs2 billion despite the passage of three months and running of a public awareness campaign.

Previous government of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) had already allocated Rs23 billion and Rs2 billion for Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams respectively in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP-2018-2019).

Pakistan cricket captain Sarfraz Ahmad Monday said that his team will also donate Rs3.2 million to Prime Minister’s fund for dams construction.

“All the team members expressed their solidarity towards the noble cause initiated by Prime Minister Imran Khan for raising funds for building new dams to address water issue in the country,” he told the reporters here at National Cricket Academy (NCA).

“We are confident that Prime Minister Imran Khan will be able to build these dams to overcome water crisis which would otherwise be looming over the country in years to come,” said the skipper.

He said it was a heartening sign that people are taking keen interest in donating money for construction of dams and everyone is doing that in the love of their country and to ensure a better tomorrow of Pakistan.

“We are confident that Allah Almighty will give success to our Prime Minister in this noble cause and required amount will be gathered to undertake the project of dams,” he added.

Sarfraz said that the construction of new dams to have adequate reservoir of water aims at securing the future of coming generations of Pakistan.

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